Elise’s breath was shuddering out of her. “No, Addy. I didn’t think that, because I know you too well, and that was not acting.” She moved around her sister, not letting her turn away, not giving her anywhere to go. “You’re starting to like him, I can see it. It’s written all over your face, and I need you to understand the truth before you get too close to him.”

“I’m not a child, Elise. I can handle this myself.”

“Well, just remember that it’s not just your life you’re playing with. We have three other people in this house who need us, who need this to be a safe place.” She didn’t remind Adelaide that it was her who’d invited them in in the first place.

“I’m well aware of what’s at stake here,” Addy said, and Elise let her turn away this time. What was the point in fighting with her own sister? They’d only had one another for so long, and they’d barely ever raised their voices in anger, let alone argued.

“Just be careful,” Elise said. “He’s a very powerful, very dangerous man, and I don’t want you ending up as collateral damage.”

Addy shot her a sideways look, and Elise knew then that her sister was scared, even though she was going to great lengths not to admit it.

“It was him, Adelaide. I need you to see that.”

“You don’t know that!” Addy cried. “There are so many reasons why Harry could be wrong, I mean he might not have seen him properly, he’s traumatized about what happened and looking for someone to blame, he might have . . .”

“That’s enough.” Elise shook her head. “Grow up, Addy. The fact that a man can be charming to a pretty girl doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of something terrible. Harry saw his face and he knows it was him. You can ask him yourself if you like.”

“I just . . .” Addy whispered, staring out of the small kitchen window. “I just can’t believe that it could have been him. He told me that Peter is safe, that he came to no harm.”

Elise came to stand beside her then, sighing as Addy dropped her head to her shoulder. She slipped an arm around her waist, her sister’s naivety reminding her of how different they were.

“I’m telling you the truth, Addy. Harry has no reason to lie to us, and if you’d seen the way he reacted when he saw Wolfgang . . .”

Addy shivered beside her.

“I don’t like the game you’re playing,” Elise whispered. “I can’t lose you, Addy. I can’t lose anyone else I love.”

Addy moved even closer to her. “Me neither.”

“Then promise me you’ll be careful, that you won’t ever stop remembering what he’s capable of, no matter how charming he is.”